Margaret is her niece by marriage.
A niece to be proud of, in spite of the fact that she is thirty years of age and still unmarried.

Her features, taken separately, would debar her for ever from being called either pretty or beautiful; yet there have been many in her life-time who admired her, and three, at all events, who would have gladly given their all to call her theirs.

Of these one is dead, and one is married, and one--still hopes.
There had been a fourth.

Margaret loved him! Yet he was the only one whom Margaret should not have loved.

He was unworthy in all points.
Yet, when he went abroad, breaking cruelly and indifferently all ties with her (they had been engaged), Margaret still clung to him, and ever since has refused all comers for his sake.